Nigerians are expressing frustration over their inability to locate any visible point of sale for the Federal Government’s recently launched N40,000 per 50kg bag of rice. This initiative, intended to provide relief amid the rising cost of food, was announced last week by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, in Abuja.
The Federal Government had launched the sale of 30,000 metric tonnes of milled rice at the subsidized rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag, as part of President Bola Tinubu’s effort to ensure food security in the country. During the launch, Kyari emphasized that the program was aimed at ensuring Nigerians “do not go to bed hungry,” and added that only citizens with valid National Identity Numbers (NIN) could access the subsidized rice.
Despite the fanfare surrounding the launch, many Nigerians, particularly residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have voiced their dissatisfaction at the lack of access to the subsidized rice. Local residents claim that they have not been able to find any retail outlets or points of sale where the rice is being distributed.
Benedicta Okoro, a civil servant residing in Kubwa, shared her frustration: “I wonder why Nigerians can’t see where to buy the N40,000 per bag of rice in Abuja. I had to go to the Dutse Market to buy a 50kg bag of local rice for N84,000,” she said. Okoro, like many other Nigerians, was hopeful that the government’s initiative would provide some much-needed relief from the skyrocketing prices of food staples, but she has yet to see any tangible results.
Amina Aliyu, another resident of Abuja, called on the government to be more transparent about the rice distribution process. “How can you launch N40,000 per bag of rice and nobody is yet to see or buy it? The government should come clean. The last time they launched a similar program, it was suspended before anyone could benefit from it,” Aliyu noted.
These complaints are not isolated, as many citizens have taken to social media to voice their concerns about the unavailability of the subsidized rice. For many, the price of rice—one of Nigeria’s staple foods—has become nearly unaffordable, with some markets selling a 50kg bag of rice for as high as N90,000 in some regions. This is a significant strain on households already dealing with inflation and a cost of living crisis.
